4 Skills You Need to Get Hired in 2018

Hiring managers are looking for specific sets of skills when interviewing job applicants. Use the skills in this article to identify the most in-demand domains and improve your chances of getting hired.

What Are the Most Desirable Job Skills in 2018?

Given the fluid and constantly changing nature of the job market, it can be hard to figure out what skills hiring managers are looking for when you're applying for jobs. To help you narrow down the list and find a job, here's a collection of four of the most in-demand skills that you'll need to get hired in 2018.

One: Communication

Communication skills remain an essential talent for every job hunter in the market. No matter what industry you hope to get hired in, being an effective communicator is the first step to getting your foot in the door.

For example, verbal skills are key to a successful interview. You'll have to be able to clearly communicate your strengths and explain why you're the best fit for the position.

Once hired, you'll need interpersonal communication skills to keep in touch with your co-workers. Very few jobs involve little to no social interaction on a daily basis, so getting along with your team and sharing information is something that hiring managers are sure to be looking for during an interview.

Be sure not to neglect your writing skills either. Crafting a concise and clear email or memo is not only going to save you time, but also the time of the people reading it. If you struggle to keep things short or coherent, you'll slow everyone else down as well.

Two: Analytical Thinking

When you hear the term ''analytical,'' you may be thinking that this skill applies only to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The fact is, however, that everyone, not just engineers and mathematicians, need to have a solid foundation of analytical intelligence and quantitative problem-solving skills.

Just about every company these days uses data to make informed decisions. Whether it's customer habits, predictive forecasts, or reviews of past growth, data is an indispensable part of the modern workplace. What this means for you as a job seeker is that you'll need to know how to analyze and interpret this information.

This doesn't mean that you need to go back to school and get a computer science degree, but you should be able to explain and demonstrate your quantitative skills in an interview. If your background doesn't include these skills, you may want to consider enrolling in a community college course or some other form of instruction to build your ability to think analytically.

Three: Organization

There's a lot more to a job than simply having the knowledge that the position requires. You won't just be handling tasks; you'll need to find a way to handle them so that you can meet deadlines and make sure that details and tasks don't get lost in the shuffle. All of the talent in the world isn't going to be enough if you can't keep yourself on track, so you'll need to work on your organizational skills.

During the hiring process, companies are looking for employees with a strong sense of organization, time management, and efficiency. These skills may come up in a question, but if they don't, make a point of explaining how your organizational skills will make you a valuable asset to the company.

Four: Collaboration

In addition to making sure that you have the skills that an individual position requires, hiring managers are looking to make sure that you would be a good fit for the office. Companies work best when employees are able to not only get along, but also work together to inspire new ideas. For this reason, it's absolutely essential that you have the ability to be a team player.

Even if you're the most qualified candidate, your prospects of landing a job will shrink if you come off as combative or difficult to work with, especially if the role you want requires constant teamwork and collaboration. Like communication and organization, honing your collaborative skills will serve you well in just about any field, which will increase your chances of finding a job.

Now that you know what skills you'll need to land a job, it's time to start working on them! This How to Improve Soft Skills lesson from Study.com includes some helpful tips on improving both your communication and collaborative skills.